Bacteriostatic compositions and meth-



United States Patent 3,125,487 BACTERIOSTATIC COMPOSITIONS AND METH- ODS OF TREATING FABRICS THEREWITH Gordon C. Hutchinson, 331 Negley Ave., Butler, Pa. No Drawing. Filed June 21, 1961, Ser. No. 118,525 1 Claim. (Cl. 167-38.6)

This invention relates to certain bacteriostatic compositions and methods of treating fabrics therewith in conjunction with laundering or dry cleaning operations which are performed on the fabrics depending upon their composition.

The present invention is related to and is an improvement over the previously filed composition and method described in US. Patent No. 2,709,665, issued May 31, 1955, and entitled Germicidal Composition and Method of Treating Fabrics Therewi It is one of the objects of the present invention to produce an improved bacteriostatic composition having in addition to its therapeutic value, the same secondary advantages of reducing lint and static electricity as does the prior invention described in the aforesaid US. Patent No. 2,709,665.

A main object of the present invention is to produce a composition wherein the ingredients remain substantially uniformly distributed throughout the composition so that the composition homogeneity remains the same and does not require periodic stirring prior to usage. Separation of the ingredients of bacteriostatic compositions and particularly the composition of US. Patent No. 2,709,665 tend to take place at higher temperatures in the order of 110 F. or in strong sunlight. Since laundries, dry cleaning establishments and the like are frequently very warm because of steam lines, etc., the problem of material separation was heretofore a substantial problem, because the composition needed to be periodically or constantly agitated.

It is a further object of the invention to produce a bacteriostatic composition which is usable in combination with either Water or with organic solvents of the type used in dry cleaning fluids, such as carbon tetrachloride and the like. This means that a single bacteriostatic composition can be formulated for use with both water and organic solvents; and, therefore, the range of use is greatly increased because virtually any fabric can now be treated with the composition of the present invention.

It is a further object of the invention to produce a bacteriostatic composition and process which is useful during the conventional laundering or dry cleaning operations which are adapted to a wide variety of fabrics including any one or a combination of vegetable, animal or synthetic fibers.

Other advantages of the related composition recited in Patent No. 2,709,665 are also retained in the present invention because the fabric is made resistant to bacterial contamination, the fabric is softened, and tensile strength loss of the fabric is reduced to a minimum.

In addition, the composition dies not produce contamination of the water, and when used in connection with rinse water as in conventional laundering operation, the rinse water has sufiicient clarity so that it does not form contaminated sewage.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description wherein a plurality of example compositions are de- 6 scribed by way of example.

A composition which embodies all of the ingredients 3,125,487 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 "ice in their respective percentage range by volume is embodied in the following formula, which is a composite of all of the various constituents (and their percent range) of the different compositions:

Percent composition by volume U.S.P. white mineral oil 60 to An emulsifying agent for the oil such as polyoxyethylene sorbitol. These products are available under the trademark Tween and/ or Span depending upon whether water or organic solvent is used (Span for dry cleaning and Tween for laundering because of its water solubility) A wetting agent, such as an alkyl, aryl polyether alcohol, e.g., octyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanol A fatty alcohol mixture such as a combination of lauryl, myristyl and cetyl alcohols, to aid in emulsifying the oil A detergent which is soluble in either water or organic reagent, such as a dioctyl ester of sodium, sulfosuccinic acid, i.e., dioctyl, sodium sulfosuccinate (this material serves as a wetting agent) A bacteriostatie agent in the form of one or more of the following materials or combination thereof:

Pyridinium chloride N(lauryl colaminoformylmethyl) Diisobutyl phenoxy ethoxyethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride Dihydroxy hexachlorodiphenylmethane lto l0 lto4 The mineral oil is of the type and viscosity range and has the purpose generally outlined in Patent No. 2,709,- 665.

Regardless of the choice of the three bacteriostatic agents, it is necessary that each effects an inhibiting action on bacteria and each must be deposited in the fabric during the laundering or dry' cleaning operations. In order to achieve this, the product must act as an oil in the rinse water for the laundry process and must act as a water soluble material in oil during dry cleaning operation.

During the washing process, laundering or dry cleaning, the bacteriostatic agent impregnates the fibers and fastens itself therein to inhibit the growth of bacteria on the cloth and must not be removed concurrently with drying or further rinsing. Specific formulations which have been found to be usable for either dry cleaning or laundering are as follows:

Bacteriostatic agent Diisobutyl phenoxy ethoxyethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride 2 to 8 3 Example 2 Percent U.S.P. mineral oil 60 to 85 Wetting agent- Alkyl aryl polyether alcohol 2 to 10 Octyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanol 1 to 8 Detergent- Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate 1 to 4 Fatty acids- Combination of lauryl, myristyl and cetyl alcohols 2 to 12 Bacteriostatic agent- Dihydroxy hexachlorodiphenylmethane 1 to Example 3 U.S.P. white mineral oil 60 to 85 Emulsifying agent Sorbitan monooleate combined with polyoxyethylenc ester of fatty and resin acid 5 to 18 Fatty acids Combination of lauryl myristyl and cetyl alcohols 2 to 12 Wetting agent Alkyl aryl polyether alcohol 1 to 8 Octyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanol 1 to 8 Bacteriostatic agent- N(Lauryl colaminoformylmethyl)pyridinium chloride 2 to 12 Example 4 Percent by volume U.S.P. white mineral oil 60 to 85 Emulsifying agent Sorbitan monooleate combined with polyoxyethylene ester of fatty and resin acid 5 to 18 Wetting agent-- Alkyl aryl polyether alcohol 1 to 8 Octyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanol 1 to 8 Detergent Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate 1 to 4 Fatty acids- Combination of lauryl myristyl and cetyl alcohols 2 to 12 Bacteriostatic agent- Dihydroxy hexachlorodiphenylmethane 1 to 8 Diisobutyl phenoxy ethoxyethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride 2 to 8 Percent Mineral oil to An emulsifying agent for the oil 5 to 18 A wetting agent 1 to 10 A bacteriostatic agent soluble in organic and aqueous solvents 2 to 10 A fatty alcohol 2 to 10 A detergent soluble in aqueous and organic solvents 1 to 4 wherein the emulsifying agent for the oil comprises sorbitan monooleate combined with polyoxyethylene ester of fatty and resin acid, the wetting agent is an alkyl aryl polyether alcohol, the bacteriostatic agent is selected from the group consisting of pyridinium chloride N(lauryl colaminoformylmethyl), diisobutyl phenoxy ethoxyethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, and dihydroxy hexachlorodiphenylmethane, the fatty alcohol is selected from the group consisting of lauryl, myristyl and cetyl alcohols, and the detergent is a dioctyl ester of sodium sulfosuccinic acid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,054,257 Hueter Sept. 15, 1936 2,139,276 Lenher Dec. 6, 1938 2,191,033 Faw Feb. 20, 1940 2,565,403 Sproule et al. Aug. 21, 1951 2,577,773 Lambert Dec. 11, 1951 2,709,665 Campbell et al. May 31, 1955 2,746,928 Darragh et a1. May 22, 1956 

